The present invention relates to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging and, more particularly, to novel antennae for high-resolution NMR imaging of the eye of a patient.
It is known that high-contrast magnetic resonance imaging of the human eye is possible. However, diagnosis of eye diseases by use of NMR imaging has been prevented due to certain technical limitations, so that radiologists frequently continue to use computed tomography examinations for eye studies in cases where magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may potentially provide a higher contrast and more detailed image. In addition to the higher image quality potentially offered by MRI examinations, it is known that the x-ray dose attendant to computerized-tomography scanning is sufficiently large so that, in most cases, follow-up studies on any given patient are precluded. Conversely, MRI studies appear to be repeatable as often as necessary for a given patient. Accordingly, it is highly desirable to overcome the following technical limitations for NMR imaging of the human eye: present sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) characteristics of the receiver coil must be increased to permit rapid high-resolution imaging of small structures, such as the lens and the like, within the eye; and any such receiver coil utilized for eye imaging must avoid the hitherto-encountered difficulties in awkwardness in placement of such reception coils in position over the eye and in maintenance in the placed position, even while being more easily tolerated by the patient during the MRI scanning process. Accordingly, reception coils with sufficiently high sensitivity, great ease of placement and support, and patient tolerance, are highly desirable.